Motor-driven stepping timer

ABSTRACT

A TIMING DEVICE IS PROVIDED IN WHICH A RATCHET WHEEL IS ADVANCED STEP-BY-STEP BY MOTOR-DRIVEN CRANK MEANS TO ADVANCED TERMINAL POSITIONS AND RETURNED BY SPRING MEANS TO A STARTING POSITION, WITH SUPERVISORY SWITCH MEANS ACTUATED IN AND BETWEEN SUCH POSITIONS FOR EFFECTING CONNECTIONS IN A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR ANY DESIRED INSTRUMENTALITY AND ALSO TO GOVERN SUBCIRCUITS CONTROLLING THE STARTING AND STOPPING OF THE MOTOR MEANS AND CERTAIN RESETTING COMPONENTS IN TIMING CYCLES.

Feb. 9, 1971 E, F HEPPNER ET AL 3,562,763

MOTOR-DRIVEN STEPPING TIMER Filed Dec. lO, 1968 [-13.1 FISQ.

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:United States Patent O 3,562,763 MOTOR-DRIVEN STEPIING TIMER Earl F.Heppner and Thomas M. Hata, Chicago, Ill., and Herman L. Seiden,deceased, late of Skokie, Ill., by Freida B. Seiden, administratrix,Skokie, Ill., assignors to Bally Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 785,856Int. Cl. H01h 3/34 U.S. Cl. 307-1413 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSUREA timing device is provided in which a ratchet wheel is advancedstep-by-step by motor-driven crank means to advanced terminal positionsand returned by spring means to a starting position, with supervisoryswitch means actuated in and between such positions for effectingconnections in a control circuit for any desired instrumentality andalso to govern subcircuits controlling the starting and stopping of themotor means and certain resetting components in timing cycles.

Step-up ratchet wheel mechanisms of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,010,055 have numerous applications in coin-controlled vending andamusement apparatus owing to their relatively simple, rugged, andeconomical construction and the fact that the ratchet wheel may beadvanced in positive and equal steps under control of pulse-typesignals, and may be returned at will or automatically to a starting orzero position under control of like signals from any desired source.

The disclosed timing apparatus eliminates the usual pulsed solenoidmeans heretofore used in such devices to drive the stepping pawl bywhich the ratchet wheel is advanced, and instead oscillates the drivingpawl at a substantially uniform rate by means of a crank driven by asmall alternating current motor having a substantially constant speedor, where greater accuracy may be required, by a synchronous motor.Restoration of the ratchet wheel to starting position is effected by theusual pawl-releasing solenoid means, but the solenoid is connected in acontrol circuit governed by the supervisory switch means in a cyclingcircuit for initiating and terminating the timing operations.

A preferred embodiment of the device and control circuit therefor isdescribed for purposes of illustration in view of the annexed drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the timer unit;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragment of the front elevation showing parts ofFIG. l in dotted-line release, pawlreleasing and wheel-resettingcondition;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram and schematic.

The step-up mechanism depicted in FIG. 1 is similar to that described inthe aforesaid Pat. 3,010,055 in that both devices include a ratchetwheel, an advancing or stepping pawl, a holding pawl, spring meansserving to restore the wheel to its starting position on release of theholding dog or pawl, and electromagnet means for resetting the wheel.

In the construction of FIG. 1, the ratchet Wheel is indicated at androtates upon a stud shaft 11 journalled as at 12 in FIG. 2 ou an uprightplate 13 having an offset mounting foot 14 (FIG. 2).

Coiled about the hub of the wheel is a wire spring 16 having one end 17anchored suitably on the wheel and 3,562,763 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 icean opposite end 1S anchored on a stationary pin 19 upon which theholding dog or pawl 20 also pivots, the latter having a dog portion 21which engages in the teeth of the ratchet wheel to hold the gain of thesame against the restorative action of the return spring.

Means for releasing the holding dog comprises a solenoid 24, the plungerof which is connected to the tail of the dog lever as at 25, such thatwhen the solenoid is energized in a resetting operation, the holding dogportion 21 is raised to the dotted-line position seen in FIG. 3, so thatthe return spring 16 can turn the ratchet wheel retrogressively back toits normal starting position, for example as seen in FIG. 1.

Means for advancing the ratchet wheel step-by-step from its startingposition comprises a stepping pawl 28 pivoting on pin 29 on anoscillatory drive lever 30 and normally urged, with the holding dog,into engagement with the ratchet teeth by a traction spring 31connecting at its opposite ends 31A, 31B with respective hook formationson the stepping and holding pawls in a manner such that both pawls arenormally urged thereby into engagement in the ratchet teeth. When theholding dog or pawl is raised to the dotted-line release position, asdepicted in FIG. 3, a finger extension 20A thereof engaging anotherlinger extension 28A on the stepping pawl, raises the latter free of theteeth in order that there will be no restraint on the ratchet wheel inreturning to its starting position.

'Ihe stepping or driving lever 30 is pivoted as at 34 on a pin securedin the mounting plate, and has a lower end portion pivotally connectingas at 36 with one end of a driving link 37 the opposite end of whichconnects to a crank pin 38 on motor crank wheel 39 xed on -Inotor shaft40 extending through an opening in the mounting plate from a reductiongear unit 42 (FIG. 2) forming part of an assembly with a small motor 44of the squirrelcage or other alternating current type tending tomaintain a speed which is fairly constant for a uniform light loadmatched to it.

The ratchet Wheel controls a supervisory switch means which may be ofany suitable type, such for example as a stack switch 50 having aplurality of spring blade contacts 51 to 57 (FIG. 1) moved variouslyinto and out of circuit-closing and opening relationships as the resultof flexing of certain of the longer blades such as 51 and S6 by indexpin means 58 and tripping pin 59 on the ratchet wheel in its limitingpositions, as will more fully appear hereafter.

The condition of the ratchet wheel shown in FIG. 1 is that of its resetor actual starting condition at zero count, wherein the switch-actuatingindex pin 58 engages the switch blade 51 and flexes it out of engagementwith its normal contact 52 and into circuit-closing engagement with itscompanion contact 53. For example, when the wheel takes its first stepfrom zero (clockwise), contacts 51 and 53 open, and 51 and 52 close.

The switch actuating index pin 58 is preferably formed as an integralpart of the Wheel where the latter is molded. as from plastic materialssuch as nylon; but the tripping pin 59 is not, being a separatescrew-threaded pin Which is selectively positionable in any of severalseating holes- H-distributed at different angular positions about thewheel.

In the illustrative-arrangement (FIG. 1), the tripping pin 59 has beensituated somewhat less than half-way about the wheel from the index pin58, so that when the wheel has advanced some forty or so steps, pin 59will engage the switch blade 56 and ex the same into circuitclosingengagement with its companion blade 57, the

blade 54 being flexed also due to the insulated transfer stud 54Tattached thereto and engaged by blade 56, with the result that contact54 would be separated from contact 55 in the illustrative blade stack.Such contact arrangements may be modified as required for connection ina variety of control circuits, the arrangement of FIG. 1 illustratingthe fact that different switching conditions exist in the zero orstarting and the terminal or tripping wheel positions, as well as atpositions in between said limiting positions.

By way of example, one of the uses to which the novel timing device maybe put is in timing the period of play permitted in a coin-releasedamusement game to condition the latter for operation for a limited timeof, say, two or three minutes for each coin deposited.

Such a control circuit is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein the mode ofoperation is such that the ratchet wheel is left standing at the end ofeach timing cycle in an advanced position (opposite that depicted inFIG. l), this being the usual condition of the wheel at the time anygiven round of play is terminated, the intended operation being suchthat whenever a new round of play is coinnitiated, the ratchet wheelwill be automatically reset or returned to its starting position (FIG.l) for the new timing cycle.

Thus, when a coin is deposited in the usual coin control device commonlyassociated with such games (not shown) the associated Coin Switch 60,designated here for convenience as a Master Switch Means (in the respeetthat its operation for present purposes may be regarded as the agencywhich starts a new cycle) is momentarily operated, thus applying powerfrom the feed conductor of power terminal-A-via a set of normally closedcontacts 61 on an Anti-Cheat switch of known type which isinertia-sensitive and intended to cut out the power supply responsive tofraudulent jolting or tilting of the usual game cabinet (not shown).

Operation of the Coin Switch or a Master Switch Means, as aforesaid,will establish a first subcircuit by energizing a Coin Relay (CR.) coil63 to effect closure of Coin Relay contacts 64 and 65, in consequence ofwhich the Coin Relay is locked-in via its own nowclosed holding contacts`65 and conductor 66 the moment the Supervisory Switch contact 51 ismoved by the returned index pin S8 to closed circuit engagement withcontact 53, whereby holding power from conductor `67 is now applied tothe Coin Relay coil 63.

When the Master Switch Means, for instance the Coin Switch l60 ismomentarily coin-operated, as aforesaid, to energize the Coin Relayinitially, the normally-closed Coin Switch contacts 68 are momentarilyopened to prevent premature operation of the reset coil 24 and theControlled Device 71-72; but as soon as the coin has completed itsswitch-operating function in the known manner, Coin Switch contacts 68reclose, and because the Coin Relay is now locked-in, its contacts 64now remain closed and complete second and third subcircuits, one viaconductor 69 to energize the release or Reset Coil 24 for the timer unitthereby causing the ratchet wheel to be returned to its startingposition (to reclose contacts 51-53 as last described), while the otheror third said subcircuit energizes via conductor 70 the controlledinstrumentality 71, which may be any device such as the coil 72 of agarner-resetting means, as generally indicated in the block diagram 71.For example, the controlled coll device 72 may be the reset coil for ascore registering device or the like such as disclosed in the aforesaidpatent, or a resetting coil analogous to the timer resetting coil 24herein, or a relay coil or the like.

As soon as the ratchet wheel 10 returns to starting or index position inthe foregoing operation, its pin 58 engages the contact spring 51 andopens the locking or holding circuit at 51, 52 for the Coin Relay andthe latter is thereby dropped out; but this supervisory switchingoperation then also closes contacts 51 and 53 thereby completing, viaconductor 83, a fourth subcircuit energizing Hold Relay coil 75, therebycausing closure of its Hold Relay (HR.) contacts 76 and 77.

Hold Relay contacts 77 start the timer motor 44 by applying power fromconductor 78 and another pair of normally closed contacts 79 on the CoinRelay (C.R.), which has by now been restored to normal or non-energizedcondition, and conductor 8f), so that the motor crank 39 and drivinglever means 30 begin to step the ratchet Wheel at a more or lessuniformly timed rate, depending upon the constancy of the motor speed,calculated to bring the trip-out pin 59 back to the advanced positionshown in FIG. 4 in the desired time interval.

Holding Relay contacts 7:6 lock-in a -fth subcircuit for the HoldingRelay coil 75 for the duration of said timing interval via another pairof supervisory switch contacts 54', 55 (which remain closed so long asthe wheel is anywhere between starting and fully-advanced position) andconductors 82, 83. When the ratchet wheel reaches the permittedfully-advanced position, its trip-out pin 59 will cause movement ofcontact 54 out of engagement with contact 55 to break the aforesaidholding circuit via conductor 83 for the Holding Relay and drop out thelatter, thereby stopping the timing motor by opening of holding contacts79. This terminates the cycle and leaves the ratchet wheel standing inadvanced condition until the next game is to be initiated by deposit ofstill another coin to effect a repetition of the timer operating cyclesuch as just described.

It is understood that the foregoing apparatus is not limited tocoin-controlled operation nor to amusement apparatus; that the so-calledMaster Switch Means need not be coin-actuated, but may be manuallyactuated or photoelectrically actuated, or by any other type of switchor control device capable of supplying or applying the needed signal tostart the timing cycle.

In general, it will be recognized that the novel timing means takesadvantage of both electrical and mechanical timing factors and functionsof its components in that the motor means 42, 44 may utilize either ahighly accurate synchronous motor or a more economicalinductionrepulsion motor of the split-phase squirrel-cage variety whichcan maintain a fairly constant speed for a rated load and prove entirelyadequate for many timing operations to oscillate the driving pawl leverat uniform intervals, once for each rotation of the crank wheel, andeffect uniform advance of the wheel in a way which loads the motoruniformly and only moderately during the timing excursion.

A choice of reduction-gear ratios together with the selectivepositioning of the trip-out pin and a suitable number of ratchet teeth,afford a selection of timing ranges. Moreover, the mechanical advantageof the wheel system enables handling of a fairly substantial terminalswitching load by a simple and inexpensive open-stack switch, it beingapparent that other and more sensitive types of supervisory switch canalso be actuated. Importantly, the wheel is not loaded in the excursionsbetween its limiting positions, and the on-off switching for theprincipal driving means, namely the small crank motor, is notparticularly critical in either its starting or stopping phases; that isto say, neither a lag in the starting and coming up to speed of themotor at the beginning of a cycle, nor in its coming to rest at the endof a cycle, is significant in relation to the total time spread achievedby the crank cycle and incremental advances of the wheel.

Apart from its timing functions, the crank-actuated sequential steppingdrive means afforded by the motor system permits elimination ofhigh-current pulses and pulsing equipment previously needed for rapidlyenergizing a solenoid type of pawl lever drive in the priorsolenoid-driven stepping units, thus broadening the possibleapplications for such step-by-step ratchet devices.

The wheel-actuated supervisory switch means S may have a variety ofcontact arrangements depending upon the nature of the device 71-72 to becontrolled. For example, the contact pair i56-57 shown in FIG.4 1 isavailable to close any desired operating circuit to actuate somecontrolled device other than, or in addition to the device 71-72, ifrequired, as will be well-understood in the art.

A control circuit such as described in View of FIG. 4 is particularlyadvantageous in adaptations of the timer to coin-controlled apparatus inthat it eliminates the danger of burningr out operating coils owing tojamming or hanging-up of coin-operated and controlled switches.

What is claimed is:

1. Motor-driven step-up apparatus including, in cornbination with theknown type of step-up mechanism which includes a rotary ratchet wheeland switch means actuated thereby, and releasable stepping and holdingpawls cooperable therewith for respectively advancing the Wheel from astarting position and holding the wheel in advanced positions, andspring means acting to restore the wheel, when released from said pawls,to said starting position, together with electromagnet means foractuating said pawls, the improvements which comprise, namely: provisionof a stepping pawl and lever means operative to retract and advance thepawl relative to the wheel in stepping action; a rotatable crank; linkmeans positively interconnecting said lever and crank; an electric motorrotating shaft means at a substantially uniform predetermined rate;means drivingly interconnecting said shaft means and crank whereby thestepping pawl is actuated as aforesaid at a substantially uniform butslower rate to step the wheel in substantially uniform steps betweensaid starting and advanced positions; supervisory switch means disposedin adjacency to said wheel; and means operative by the wheel dependentupon movement thereof for actuating said switch means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said step-up mechansm,including the supervisory switch means and lever means thereof, arecooperatively assembled on a base plate with said crank and motor, andsaid means drivingly connecting the shaft means to said crank comprisesa speed-reducing means such that the lever is completely oscillated oncefor each cycle of rotation of the crank and the rate of rotation of thecrank is substantially slower than that of said motor shaft means, andsaid motor is connected in an energizing circuit which is governed atleast in part by said switch means under control of the wheel to enablestarting and stopping of the motor in the respective starting andstopping positions of the wheel.

3. The combination according to claim 2 further characterized by theprovision of a control circuit for actuating the apparatus in operatingcycles, said control circuit including a master switch and connectionscontrolled thereby in conjunction with connections controlled by saidrst-mentioned supervisory switch means and operative such that actuationof the master switch means will effect energization of saidelectromagnetic releasing means as an incident to commencement of eachsaid operating cycle, with starting and running of the motor governed bysaid supervisory switch means under control of the wheel initiated byreturn of the wheel from advanced to starting position, and stopping ofthe wheel on arrival in said advanced position.

4. Timing apparatus comprising in combination with a ratchet wheel andmeans defining a starting position and selectable advanced limitpositions therefor, spring means normally acting to return the wheel tosaid starting position from an advanced position; stepping pawl meansactuatable in strokes to step the wheel a predetermined number of stepsper stroke; crank means connecting with said pawl means for cyclicoperation to advance the wheel a predetermined number of steps for eachcycle of operation thereof; electric motor means having a rotatableshaft and means drivingly interconnecting the same with said crank meansto rotate the latter; releasable holding pawl means normally cooperablewith the ratchet wheel to hold the advance gain thereof but releasableto permit return of the wheel to starting position by said spring means;electromagnetic release means energizable to release the holding pawlmeans; and supervisory control means disposed adjacent the wheel andhaving at least one actuatable part exposed for operation by a membermoved by the wheel along the angular path between and including thestarting and limit position thereof.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said supervisory control meanscomprises supervisory switch means having a plurality of circuitcontrolling conditions dependent upon the movement of said actuatablepart thereof in accordance with positions of the wheel and said switchoperating means thereof along said angular path; said apparatus furtherincluding a rst circuit including a master switch means operable toinitiate a cycle of operation of the apparatus; a second circuitincluding connections governed by said supervisory switch means forenergizing said electromagnetically releasable means to effect return ofthe wheel to starting position; a third circuit governed by saidsupervisory switch means to energize the motor to advance the wheel fromstarting position to said limit position and stop the motor thereat;circuit means and connections governed by said supervisory switch meansin said limit position of the wheel rendering said first and secondcircuits effective for operation responsive to operation of the masterswitch means to restore the wheel to starting position; and circuitmeans and connections governed by the supervisory switch means in saidstarting position of the Wheel rendering said third circuit effective tostart and run the motor until the wheel arrives at said limit positionat which the motor is stopped as aforesaid.

6. Step-by-step apparatus comprising a ratchet wheel, spring meansacting constantly to return the wheel to a starting position; releasableholding pawl means acting to hold the wheel in advanced positionsagainst said return bar releasable for resetting the wheel in saidstarting position; means for advancing the wheel in uniform stepsincluding a stepping pawl and an oscillatory lever moving the same instepping action whereby the wheel is advanced one step for eachoscillation of said lever; crank means drivingly connected with saidlever to oscillate the same once for each revolution of the crank means;an electric motor having a shaft revolved thereby at a substantiallyuniform rate and means drivingly interconnecting said shaft to rotatesaid crank; switch-actuating means moved by the wheel in travel betweensaid starting and advanced position; control switch means situatedrelative to said switch-actuating means for actuation by the latter inat least two positions of the wheel relative to said starting andadvanced positions thereof; electricallycontrolled reset means operableto release said holding pawl means; and circuit means governed by saidcontrol switch means and including a starting switch and first relaymeans energized thereby establishing a circuit to energize said resetmeans; a second relay energized by said control switch means operated inthe condition of said wheel at said starting position, and circuit meansgoverned by said control switch to hold said second relay energizedduring the travel of the wheel from starting to advanced position; amotor circuit controlled by said second relay to hold the motorenergized to move the wheel from starting to advanced position; andcircuit means governed by said control switch and effectuated by arrivalof the wheel at advanced position for dropping out the second relay tostop the motor; and contact means governed by said control switch meansfor controlling the operation of a desired device to be controlleddependently upon the position of said wheel.

7. In combination with a ratchet wheel, stepping pawl means oscillableto advance the Wheel step-by-step from a starting position, releasableholding pawl means acting to hold the wheel in advanced positions,electrically-actuated means for releasing said holding pawl means, andswitch means actuated by means moved by the wheel in its range oftravel, improvements comprising, namely: an electric motor rotating adriving shaft at a substantially steady rate of speed; crank meansrotated from said shaft and means connecting the same with said steppingpawl means to oscillate the latter commensurately with said rate;circuit means including at least a starting circuit and a stoppingcircuit for said motor, and a circuit for said electrically-actuatedreleasing means, and connections controlled by said switch meansactuated at least in said starting and advanced positions and operativeto condition said circuits for operation to initiate and terminateoperating cycles for the ratchet wheel wherein each said cycle includesan advance from and return to said starting position, and an arrival ata particular advanced position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, PrimaryExaminer H. J. HOHAUSER, Assistant Examiner

